Brassiere



0. G. GOULD Aug. 16, 1955 BRASSIERE Filed April 21, 1953 INVENTOR.

Olga G. Gould United States Patent BRASSIERE Olga G. Gould, Seattle, Wash.

Application April 21, 1953, Serial No. 350,105

3 Claims. (Cl. 2-42) without binding discomfort and without requiring extremely tight shoulder straps.

Another object of my invention is to provide a bra wherein means is incorporated within the breast cups to function in conjunction with the supporting straps to provide positive and comfortable support for the breasts.

Further objects and advantages of my invention reside in the provision of a bra which will not stretch or lose its shape, which will not slip, pull, draw or bind, nor will it creep up on the back.

'Other objects of my invention are to provide a bra wherein the disconnectable ends may be easily and quickly joined without requiring physical contortions and discomfort and further to incorporate novel means which will permit self-adjustment of the supporting straps to accommodate the movements of the wearer.

Still another object of my invention is to secure the supporting straps of the bra to the breast cups at specific locations so as to coact therewith to provide better and more comfortable support.

These and other objects of my invention reside in the details of construction and in the combination of parts which will hereinafter be more fully described.

In accomplishing the above mentioned and other objects of my invention, I have provided the improved details of construction, the preferred forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a front perspective view of a bra embodying my invention, and illustrating it as worn.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the bra as worn and as seen from the back.

Fig. 3 is a front view of the present bra, illustrating in greater detail the novel features of the invention.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail of the strap securing and adjusting buckle, and indicating the automatic or selfadjustments provided for.

As previously stated, my new and novel bra is designed and constructed to provide additional comfort to the wearer and additional and more natural support without requiring extreme tightness or binding. These desirable qualities are obtained by cutting the material which forms certain parts of the bra on the bias; and providing free moving and adjustable straps which are secured in a manner that permits ease of movement to the wearer. Further, to provide supporting stays or boning in the breast cups in such relation to the points of attachment of the straps as to definitely form the cups for holding the breasts in proper and desired position.

2,715,225 Eatented Aug. 16, 1955 Referring more in detail to the drawings:

Figs. 1 and 3 show a bra wherein the novel features of my invention are incorporated. The bra, which is designated in its entirety by reference numeral 10, is formed in two main parts, or opposite side sections 11 and 12, and these are joined at their rearward ends by an elastic strip or strap 13. Each section includes a breast cup and a part of a body band, these parts being later described in detail. I prefer to have the ends of the opposite side sections joined permanently at the back by the elastic strip 13 and to provide a hook forming plate 15 and securing loops 16-16 for releasably joining the other ends of the opposite side sections at the front; this connection being applied at the ends and near the bottom edges of the respective sections. The joining of the forward ends of the bra in this manner is substantially easier and more satisfactory than the usual back connection, and it permits greater freedom and independent movement of the breast pockets.

For purposes of comfort, I desire to have the body band portions of the opposite side sections of the bra of substantially greater width than normal, especially at the back. These body band portions, 11b and 12b, are so cut and formed that the back portion of the band will ride substantially lower on the back of the wearer. This will tend to eliminate binding under the arm pits and on the back and provide greater comfort. Also to some extent, it will prevent the bra from riding up in back.

The opposite shoulder straps 20 and 21 have ends thereof sewn to the back forming pieces of the bra in spaced relationship as noted in Fig. 2, and are adjustably secured at their other or forward ends to buckles 22 and 23 as noted in Fig. 1. These buckles are of a common type wherein the strap may be adjusted for lengthening or shortening as desired or required.

For functionally joining the shoulder straps to the front of the bra, I provide additional straps 25 and 26, each of which is passed through a buckle and permanently secured at its opposite ends, in spaced relationship to the top edge of the corresponding breast cup. The specific points of securement of the opposite ends of these straps is an important feature of my invention and will hereinafter be more fully discussed. Intermediate their ends, the straps pass through and are freely slidable in the lower openings or eyes 22a and 23a of the buckles 22 and 23 as is best illustrated in enlarged detail in Fig. 4. This freedom of movement of the straps permits their endwise self-adjustment in the buckles when and as required by the movement of the wearer. The self-adjustment thus attained prevents stress or strain and eliminates tearing or breaking of material and, in addition, avoids causing discomfort to the wearer.

The essence of my invention resides in the novel construction which I incorporate in the breast cups, and the interrelationship of certain parts thereof with the straps 25 and 26; the breast cups being designated at 30 and 31 and they are incorporated in the forward end portions of the body band members 1111 and 12b.

I am aware that boning or stays have been previously used in bra construction but in my invention I utilize the boning in a specific manner so as to positively form a breast cup which will give natural lifting and comfortable support to the breast of the wearer. As is best illustrated in Fig. 3, in each cup forming portion, I provide stays or boning designated by reference numerals 35a and 35b, removably disposed in pockets 36a and 36b. The pockets are formed between the cup forming material and end portions of the straps 25 and 26 as secured thereto by parallel and spaced-apart lines of stitching 37-37. The pockets 36a-36b as associated with each cup are so related one to the other, so as to provide a Q downwardly converging pocket between them. It will be noted that the inner stay holding pockets 36b are at substantially greater angle than the outer pockets 36a. These converging pockets 36a-36b and the boning inserted therein together with the bias cut of the material results in the formation of breast cups which are of specific shape and size and which will provide positive lifting support for and mold the shape of the breast. The manner in which the boning conforms to the rounding curvature of the breast is illustrated in Fig. 1.

As previously stated, the straps 25 and 26 are permanently fixed at their opposite ends to the breast cups at the upper ends of the converging pockets. This specific inter-relationship of the points of strap support and the support and shaping as provided by the boning accomplishes the desired result of providing a breast cup of pre-determined shape and in assuring the desired and proper support of the breast.

As is best illustrated in Fig. 3, the breast cups, as provided by the shaping of portions of the body band material, are of relatively narrow vertical width and terminate at their upper edge along the top edges of the strips of body band material. Cups of this construction do not cover the upper portion of the breasts and for this purpose, if such is desired, I provide caps 4040 which are secured to the cups along the top edges thereof by the lines of stitching 41.

, By securing the opposite ends of the straps 25 and 26 to the top edge of the breast cups, at the respective upper ends of the boning, the support resulting from the straps coacts with the boning to form a breast cup of positive form and shape. Also, the upward support being provided at those specific points, produces the most desired and natural appearing shape of the breasts.

The boning, though used in the past, has not to my knowledge, been utilized to the extent of positively forming and shaping the breast cup in a natural and breast fitting manner. It is also old to use a self-adjusting strap portion, but for the most part these straps have been secured to the bra near the top edge thereof. They have not been secured to the breast cup in functional relationship to the boning or in a manner to positively pre-forrn the breast cup so as to give the desired and required breast support and comfort.

My invention is not limited to any particular size, or detail of construction of bra except that as has been pointed out herein. The boning support must be provided in the novel manner which I have disclosed and the supporting shoulder straps must be secured to the breast cup at the specific points shown, in relation to the upper end of the boning to provide a breast cup that is positively formed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A brassiere comprising opposite side sections joined at their rearward ends byan elastic strap and detachably joined at their forward ends; each side section including a body band portion and a breast cup; supporting means including a pair of shoulder straps and a pair of breast cup straps each of which is slidably joined intermediate its ends to its respective shoulder strap and each of said breast cup straps being secured at its opposite ends to the upper edge of a breast cup in spaced relationship; a pair of boning stays disposed in each breast cup in an upwardly diverging position and terminating at .their upper ends at the place of securement of the opposite ends of the breast cup straps to the upper edge of the breast cup.

'2..A brassiere as in claim 1 wherein the top edge of each breast cup is a substantially straight line.

3. A brassiere as in claim 1 wherein the boning stays extend from the lower edge to the upper edge of the breast cup.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

